Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Announces Neutral Caretaker PM and Return of Nawaz Sharif for General Elections

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that a neutral person will be selected as the caretaker Prime Minister to lead the interim government next month, ensuring transparency in the upcoming general elections.

This rules out the possibility of appointing Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to the position. Shehbaz Sharif also revealed that his elder brother, three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been living in self-imposed exile in London since 2019, will return to Pakistan in the next few weeks and will become the Prime Minister if their party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), wins the election.

Shehbaz Sharif stated that the notification of the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA) will be sent to President Arif Alvi a few days before the completion of the NA's tenure on August 12. He emphasized the need for a non-partisan politician to lead the caretaker set-up to ensure that the election results are not questioned.

He assured the public that there will be an efficient interim government in place. Regarding the recent rumors suggesting the appointment of Ishaq Dar as the interim prime minister to address the country's financial woes, PM Shehbaz agreed with his coalition partners that a neutral person should hold this position.

He explained that the caretaker set-up would be decided after consultation with allied parties, PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, and the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly. PM Shehbaz also stated that Nawaz Sharif will face the law upon his return to Pakistan.

Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in 2017 and became ineligible to hold public office for life in 2018. He has been living in self-exile in the United Kingdom since November 2019. Before his departure, Nawaz Sharif was serving a seven-year jail term in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case.

Shehbaz Sharif condemned the violence that erupted on May 9 after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in a graft case. He called Khan the "mastermind" behind the riots and claimed that the violence aimed to overthrow the military leadership and initiate a civil war in the country.

He stated that there was irrefutable evidence of PTI's involvement in the attacks, despite their claims of innocence. In terms of the country's economy, the Premier highlighted the government's efforts to steer Pakistan out of the default risk and restore its lost dignity.

He called for unity among political forces and stressed the need to agree on a Charter of Economy. He added that the new government would need to utilize all resources and work hard to overcome the economic crisis. In summary, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has outlined plans for a neutral caretaker government, the return of his brother Nawaz Sharif, and his party's ambitions for the upcoming general elections.

He has addressed concerns about the appointment of Ishaq Dar as the interim prime minister and emphasized the need for transparency and efficiency in the caretaker set-up. He also reiterated Nawaz Sharif's impending legal consequences upon his return and discussed the violence that occurred in May, attributing it to a conspiracy against Pakistan. Finally, he stressed the government's efforts to improve the country's economy and urged political unity for a better future.